Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line

Supreme (Fig Leaf) Court Hands Out Anti-Epton Decision

Progressive Labor Party National Committee Statement

First Published:Progressive Labor Vol. 6, No. 5, October 1968Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul SabaCopyright: This work is in the Public Domain under the Creative Commons Common Deed. You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit the Encyclopedia of Anti-Revisionism On-Line as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors & proofreaders above.

The refusal of the United States Supreme Court to review the criminal anarchy conviction of Bill Epton, Vice-Chairman of the Progressive Labor Party, is another important sign of the ruling class’s fear of Black rebellions, and of the growing influence of Marxism-Leninism among Black people and others.

The Warren Supreme Court, bastion of liberalism, showed its complete subservience–again–to the monied interests who run the USA. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that Warren was trotted out by the power elite as a fig leaf to cover up the murder of John F. Kennedy. If the U.S. Supreme Court could be used to obscure intra-imperialist rivalry, resulting in the murder of one of their own, what can revolutionaries, who are fighting to destroy this rotten system expect from it?

U.S. rulers are increasingly being confronted by millions of Americans who are rebelling against the profit-power policies. The Johnson gang is frightened by mounting opposition to the war, and by spiraling Black rebellions. Increasingly, these two movements–anti-war and Black Liberation–are finding common ground. During the past two years workers in unions have been hitting the bricks in unprecedented numbers as the war of genocide in Vietnam results in worsening working and living conditions. Texas and Washington war-lords are not only being encircled by people all over the world, but they are finding the noose tightening right here at home.

Panicked by these developments, the LBJ Supreme Court didn’t even have the guts to take a definitive position on the discredited New York State Criminal Anarchy Law. The Warren crew are so subservient that they chose to ignore three previous court rejections of state anarchy laws. Obviously, times are different. The government feels more threatened. It is using its stooge court to fight the people more openly.

The fact that the Supreme Court was used to place Bill Epton in jail is not a sign of strength. The ruling class would like to preserve the liberal image of the court, if possible. They would like to foster the illusion that the Supreme Court is a body unto itself, and is not subservient to those who own and run the country.

Ever since attacks against Black people and the PLP took place four years ago, during and after the Harlem Rebellion, the strength and vigor of Black people and of the Progressive Labor Party has grown considerably. Although more Black people have been jailed, killed, beaten and whipped by this racist system, correspondingly have more people entered the battle for liberation. Similarly, although more PLP’ers have been attacked in various ways, our movement has grown. Attacks against us and the people can only be viewed positively–as compliments. It means that the boss-dominated government is scared.

Let the bosses’ government keep hitting away at us and the people. The more they thrash about, the more they are compelled to attack, all means that they are fighting harder. This means that the ruling class is weaker. The lesson is so clear in Vietnam: the more U.S. military might is poured into Vietnam to suppress the people, the bigger are the losses sustained by U.S. war-lords.

Yes, the Progressive Labor Party is for revolution! It believes political power belongs in the hands of the working people. The government’s panicky actions against the PLP only encourages us to work harder for revolutionary socialism. This is how we view and respond to the jailing of Bill Epton. By jailing him you have assured us that our efforts and the efforts of the people will grow even sharper. U.S. rulers are indeed, “a colossus with feet of clay.”